


Other Worlds Than These

by ShinjiShazaki



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, feralgard AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:55:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinjiShazaki/pseuds/ShinjiShazaki
Summary: With a war of her own making on an all too close horizon, Edelgard von Hresvelg should never have succumbed to letting herself want more.  More closeness with the eagles, more peace with the house leaders, more living without plotting to kill.  With Professor Eisner joining the ranks of the academy, she let herself want peace even more.She simply had no idea what she would receive back from Byleth, at least in terms of divine favor.(A Feralgard!AU)
Relationships: Bernadetta von Varley & Hubert von Vestra, Dorothea Arnault/Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 29
Kudos: 146





	Other Worlds Than These

**Author's Note:**

> _Set me free, I’ll be calling you_
> 
> The lords are joined by the professor, a more gentle leadership goes on display, and a late night in a training yard.

Nothing weighed on Edelgard von Hresvelg more than death. The weight of those she’d lost over the years was crushing enough, but it could not compare to what always fell upon her when she plotted for the death of another. That night, knowing the bandits would soon arrive to end her rivals’ lives, it felt as though the world had dropped a mountain on her. Their cheerful banter over the campfire made it worse, the mountain becoming a vast range atop her shoulders.

It wasn’t a clean plan. Her schemes to kill rarely were, especially if they’d come through Arundel without Hubert reviewing it. When the bandits arrived and made it clear they would kill all three of them, Edelgard had one moment to wonder if her death was part of Arundel’s plan. She had no time to dwell as Claude made good an escape, and she had no time to think of how he’d run through the bandits in a way she and Dimitri could follow. She simply ran, axe in hand, with Dimitri close beside her.

Running was easier, the weight tumbling away as the plan fell apart. She nearly laughed when Dimitri shouted for Claude to slow down, the relief was so great. The sound of bandits shouting behind them thoroughly tempered her smile, and she and Dimitri focused on following Claude to the small town of Remire. The sight of mercenaries in the midst of breaking camp made them quicken their pace, reaching Claude just as he came to a stop in front of several armored men.

“Bandits,” Claude said, panting, and the mercenaries moved at once. They split apart, most going into the woods and one rushing into the nearest building.

“Unbelievable,” Dimitri muttered as he caught his breath. “Abandoning us—like that.”

Claude huffed a laugh, shrugging, and they all turned when the door opened once more. Despite the haste all the other mercenaries had shown, the two new people who came out of the building, a man and a young woman, were perfectly calm. The man was grizzled in all the ways Edelgard was used to seeing on a mercenary: his orange tunic and steel armor well worn, his beard short, and his hair braided back neatly. The woman was wholly unexpected: dark hair a wild mess, short clothes and patterned stockings at odds with her boots and light armor, and gray coat a beacon in the dim light. The mercenary who had fetched them kept his eyes on the man, stating his rank and position without a word. Edelgard would have focused on him as Dimitri and Claude did had she not looked at the woman and found her staring back.

The woman’s gaze was unwavering, even in the meager light of the torches around them, and her expression was so mild Edelgard thought she simply did not have one. Then, she spotted the faintest twist in her mouth, the tiny crinkle of her brow, and she let out a soft, shaking exhale as she realized the woman was concerned.

“All right, what’s going on here?” the man asked, looking between them.

“Sir, we’ve been beset by bandits,” Dimitri replied. “Too many to handle by ourselves.”

“We were out on an overnight training exercise and they appeared out of nowhere,” Edelgard added. “Any assistance you and your men could provide would be appreciated.”

“We can definitely pay for services rendered,” Claude said, “if it comes to having to hire you on the fly.”

The man sighed and waved a hand. “We’re not gonna turn away kids in danger, keep your coin.” They all turned as two of the men who had gone into the woods returned, looking grim.

“We’re trying to hold a line at the town watchtower,” one man said, “but there’s a lot of them, Jeralt.”

“Great,” Jeralt muttered. He looked closely at Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude, eyes lingering on their weapons and clothes. Expression thoughtful, he nodded slightly and said, “If I’m right about those uniforms, you should be able to pull your weight.”

“Sir?” said Dimitri.

Jeralt patted the young woman’s shoulder, saying, “You lead them out first, Byleth. I’ll get my horse.” Once she’d nodded, he started off in another direction and over his shoulder said, “Move out!”

“Follow me,” said Byleth, moving forward with no hesitation. They stood still a moment, left in her wake out of surprise. Edelgard moved first, catching up to her before Dimitri and Claude. Byleth nodded as they passed Remire’s gates, a cue to follow close as she picked up speed and ran.

Remire’s watchtower was a point of light in the thick forest that surrounded the town, torches always lit and burning bright. As they approached, a great din began to rise. Voices shouting orders and curses in equal measure, wails of pain and death shrieks, and the clatter and screech of armor and weapons meeting filtered through the trees. None of them flinched on hearing it, even when Byleth gestured for them to stop and the din grew louder without their footsteps to muffle it. They kept still, eyes on Byleth as she peered into the shadows of the forest.

“You two,” she said, looking at Dimitri and Claude, “head straight to the watchtower. Bow, up at least one level and give covering fire. Lance, stop anyone going after Bow or toward town. Axe is with me.”

“You got it,” Claude said, saluting with an arrow before he and Dimitri ran off.

“We’re going to break that line,” Byleth said, pointing at a stalemated rabble of mercenaries and bandits. “Straight down the middle, you on my left.”

“Right,” Edelgard said. She began to adjust her grip on her axe, hands unsteady, but froze when Byleth put a hand on her head.

“Calm down and focus,” Byleth said. “Whatever happened before, I’ve got your back. Okay?”

Edelgard looked at her. Again, her expression was almost unreadable, Edelgard’s focus broken by the noise and the scattered, flickering light. She took a deep breath and set her gaze on Byleth’s eyes. They were a shade of blue she could not name with so little light to see them by, bright enough to be warm and dark enough to be calming. Byleth looked at her, steady as the hand she kept on her head, and nodded. It was just enough to take the tremor from Edelgard’s hands, and she nodded back as she tightened her grip.

It seemed a dream, running into battle with Byleth beside her. Byleth found a path through the mercenaries; Edelgard cut a way into the bandits. They fought back to back, side by side, catching blows for each other and calling out when they needed to dodge. All through it, Byleth snapped commands over her shoulders, pushing Edelgard to move faster, cut cleaner, strike harder, and not once did it chafe. For just a moment, Edelgard thought nothing of commanding or leading, and the weight of all the world rose off her shoulders.

It happened as Jeralt arrived to help clear out stragglers. A man who’d dropped to the ground after taking an elbow Edelgard had thrown back on Byleth’s command let out a roar as he flipped onto his feet. Edelgard’s throat tightened when she recognized him, despite the badly broken nose and blood, as Kostas, the man she had hired from behind a mask not three days prior.

“You’re _dead_ , brat!” he shouted, pointing his axe at her. He gave her no time to reply before sprinting at her, bellowing as he ran.

Every part of him was atrocious, from his face to his voice to his pathetic fighting stance. It put her teeth on edge, and she discarded her axe and drew her dagger to kill him quickly and cleanly. He deserved neither, but it would get him out of her sight all the sooner and she would be glad for it. When she heard her own thoughts, she faltered and froze with the weight of death falling on her once more. She committed the cardinal sin of the battlefield and hesitated, and she knew she had no time to recover and take up her axe. There was only enough time to turn toward the sound of running footsteps on her left.

Edelgard did not know when she had repositioned her feet or why her left hand stung as though she’d left it too close to flames. It simply did not matter when Byleth stood before her, parrying Kostas’ wild strike with skill and force enough to send him flying back. The sight of her, coat and hair fluttering in the wind, was like the stories of bold, heroic knights her siblings had sent her to sleep with years and years ago. Byleth’s eyes shone in the firelight, brilliant and fierce, and Edelgard could not help her smile when Byleth continued to stand in guard of her as Kostas struggled to his feet again.

The bandits scattered suddenly, Kostas yelping for them to run. Byleth only turned when they were out of range, coming face to face with Edelgard and her smile. There was relief in Byleth’s eyes and her face, clearer than any other expression Edelgard had seen on her before. For a few moments, they were alone. The forest was quiet for them, and Edelgard’s smile only left her when she noticed Byleth shaking her left hand as if to soothe pain.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I am, don’t worry.” She moved to stand between Edelgard and approaching footsteps, but relaxed when she saw Dimitri and Claude. When Jeralt arrived, lance over his shoulder and sitting relaxed in the saddle, Byleth finally sheathed her sword.

“Good work, all of you,” Jeralt said. “Any injuries?”

“We’re all right, sir,” Dimitri said.

“No archers or mages for me to worry about,” Claude added.

“Kid?” Jeralt asked.

“We’re fine,” Byleth replied.

“Good. I doubt it’s worth the effort to track them down, so let’s just—”

“You dastards get back here! No one lays a hand on our students and gets away with it!”

“Oh _hell_ ,” Jeralt groaned as a cadre of knights in silver-white armor came charging up.

“‘Dastards’?” Byleth said quietly.

“Ah, I can’t see them now!” the man leading the knights said, coming to a stop next to Jeralt and his horse. “Must’ve started running when they saw our colors, then!”

“They did,” Claude said. “I managed to see the moment they panicked.” He smirked and said, “It was pretty funny, actually.”

“Usually bandits know better than to come this close to the monastery,” the man said, scratching his chin. “Then it’s for the best that we came out here trying to find that fraud of a professor.” He thought, hummed, and said, “Either way, we’ve driven them off. You have my tha— _Captain Jeralt_?”

“Yes, Alois,” Jeralt sighed. “So these are your charges?”

“They are, yes, but—”

“You get them somewhere safe, then. My men and I will make sure the bandits don’t follow.”

“Hold on, now!” Alois said. “Don’t think I’m letting this end with you vanishing again like twenty-odd years ago! It’s not like I can take _these three_ back, report they were rescued in the dead of night, and pretend like it was some random band of mercenaries who refused payment or high praise! I’d be sent back out here to collect you anyway!”

Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude were joined by Byleth in looking between Jeralt and Alois and watching how distress rose differently in their faces. Where Alois’ cheeks grew dark as he blushed and blustered, Jeralt went pale and his mouth twisted. After a lengthy silence, Jeralt sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“You’re probably right,” he said. “Can’t avoid it forever.” He looked to Byleth and said, “You were done packing before you went to sleep, right?”

She nodded.

“Then go with the brats to their camp, get their things, and reconvene at the main road north in thirty minutes. I’ll gather the men and our gear.”

Byleth nodded again before turning to Edelgard and glancing at Dimitri and Claude. They took the lead for her, heading out at a jog. Their camp was in shambles when they arrived, the fire kicked to pieces and their two tents torn to tatters. They went through the mess with due diligence, gathering their bedrolls and what hadn’t been pilfered out of their kitbags. Byleth stood on guard as they worked, her eyes distant. When they were ready, she brought them back out of the forest and to the main road. She turned to look back down the road, and Dimitri beckoned Edelgard and Claude closer.

“Any thoughts on this Jeralt character?” he asked in a whisper. “The name sounds a bit familiar, but it’s strange for Alois to be so heated.”

“I’ve heard stories of a ‘Jeralt the Blade Breaker,’” Edelgard said. “But none of the stories included mercenaries.”

“Well,” said Claude, “I’ll opt for the direct approach this time.” The three of them moved apart and, as they moved toward Byleth, he said, “Excuse me, but is your leader Jeralt Reus Eisner, the knight renowned across Fódlan?”

Byleth turned and looked at him blankly.

“Former captain of the Knights of Seiros?” he offered.

She didn’t so much as blink.

“The Blade Breaker?”

“Dad goes by _that_ title,” said Byleth.

“‘Dad’?” Dimitri echoed. “He’s actually your father?”

“Yeah.”

“But you’re part of his mercenary company?”

“Yeah.”

“That certainly explains your prowess in combat,” Edelgard said. Then, entirely without thinking, she added, “You would be an incredible ally if you joined the empire’s forces.”

“Not even introducing yourself before recruiting, Princess?” Claude chuckled. “Where _are_ those imperial manners?”

“That’s,” Edelgard began, but she put a hand on her brow and sighed when Dimitri looked at her with a raised brow. “My apologies. You did us a great service tonight and the least we can do is give you our names.”

“My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd,” said Dimitri, putting a hand over his heart and inclining his head to Byleth. “Crown prince of the Kingdom of Faerghus.”

“Claude von Riegan,” said Claude. “Next in line for the dukedom in the Leicester Alliance.”

Byleth blinked at the cheeky salute Claude gave her and turned to look at Edelgard expectantly. Again, Edelgard was struck by the weight of her gaze and the color of her eyes. With the dawn finally on its way, they were even more vibrant.

“I am Edelgard von Hresvelg,” she said, “heir to the Adrestian Empire. You have my thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Byleth replied, nodding to her. “But if you three are so important, why were you out here all alone?”

“We were out on a training exercise,” Dimitri said. “One of our professors thought it best for the house leaders to work together for a bit this year.”

“Yes, before all our mock battles against each other,” Claude said, shrugging even as he shook his head. “Not the best choice, in my opinion.”

“What professor?” Byleth asked.

“A professor at the Officers Academy,” Dimitri replied. When she simply stared at him, he asked, “Have you…never heard of the academy at Garreg Mach Monastery?”

“No.”

All of them boggled at her, but none had a chance to speak before Byleth suddenly turned away. She caught a kitbag Jeralt had tossed to her, arranging it on her right shoulder as he and Alois approached.

“You walk with them in the center,” Jeralt said, nodding at Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude. “I’ll take front with the knights and our troop will bring up the rear.”

“We’re going to this Garreg Mach place?” Byleth asked.

“Yeah,” Jeralt sighed. “Just to escort the students, if we can help it.”

Byleth nodded, turning to the others as Jeralt, Alois, and the knights went on ahead. They followed her as she began to walk, Edelgard taking the space on her left while Dimitri and Claude walked on her right.

“You truly haven’t heard of the academy?” Dimitri asked.

“No,” said Byleth. “We’ve never done work for them.”

“That’s a surprise,” Claude said, “since plenty of mercenaries come and go there. Which is a surprise on its own when the Knights of Seiros are stationed there anyway.”

“And the Knights of Seiros are…who?”

“Did your father never tell you stories of when he was a knight?” Edelgard asked.

“No.” Byleth shrugged one shoulder. “He’d still be a knight if it mattered to him, so I don’t see why he’d tell me stories of it.”

“But he’s one of the most celebrated knights in history,” Dimitri protested.

“Yeah, that’s pretty weird for him to never even mention it to you,” Claude said. “Why do you think he quit?”

“Why would I be able to guess that if he never told me about being a knight in the first place?”

“Fair point.”

“Regardless,” Edelgard said, “if you’ve never been to the monastery, you’re in for a unique sight. It’s the single largest monastery in all of Fódlan. Even the cathedral in Enbarr doesn’t compare.”

“There’s somewhere to get food there, right?”

“Of course,” Dimitri said. “The dining hall is very accommodating.”

“My house can attest to that,” Claude said.

“How far is it from here?”

“We’ll be well into the morning by the time we arrive,” Edelgard said. Because she was close at Byleth’s side, she heard the long, low growl of her stomach.

“All right,” Byleth said, not a hint of distress in her face or her voice.

Edelgard somehow managed to keep from staring at her outright. As Byleth, Dimitri, and Claude focused on walking, she took her kitbag from her shoulder. She rummaged through it, hoping foolishly, and smiled when she found an undamaged ration of dried meat and hardtack. Gently she tapped Byleth’s shoulder, and silently she offered the food.

The sun had finally come up by then, and it cast a soft, rosy light on Byleth’s face as she smiled. It was faint and it was small, something only Edelgard managed to see in the quiet, chilly dawn. It faded when Byleth focused on breaking the meat and hardtack, handing one half of each back to Edelgard before starting to eat the rest. Edelgard almost protested, but began to eat when Byleth gave her a particularly pointed look.

The road to Garreg Mach was nestled in a valley of the Oghma mountains, broad and well kept with how frequently it was travelled. For the most part, they were silent as they walked, Dimitri and Claude yawning and Edelgard listening to the sound of conversations ahead of and behind them. Every so often, she glanced at Byleth to see if her expression had changed. Most times, Byleth was observing the road without any sign of exhaustion. As they slipped back under tree cover, the monastery just out of sight, she saw Byleth shake her left hand again.

“Are you all right?” she asked quietly, not drawing Dimitri or Claude’s attention.

“Huh?”

“You’ve done that twice now,” Edelgard said, pointing at her hand. “Were you injured in the battle?”

“I’m fine,” Byleth said. “But thanks. Uh. Edelgard?” Her expression twitched when Edelgard looked at her curiously, a brief twist of her lips for remorse. “Sorry. It takes a couple tries to make names stick.”

“It’s all right,” Edelgard said. “I don’t have a very common name, so I’m sure that doesn’t help.”

“It’s nice, though. Your name.” She smiled again, that faint little thing, and said, “I’m glad I got it right.”

Edelgard smiled as they left the cover of the trees. Byleth’s eyes seemed to sparkle in the clear light of morning, and Edelgard took a moment to commit the sight of something so pretty to memory. The moment passed when Byleth turned away to look at Garreg Mach Monastery, looming in the distance.

“That’s it,” Edelgard said. “Garreg Mach.”

“That whole thing’s a monastery?” Byleth asked.

“Well, the monastery, the academy, the dormitories, and plenty of other things,” Claude said.

“I’d be happy to show you around once we arrive,” Dimitri said with a smile.

“Depends on what Dad says,” Byleth replied. “We’re probably not staying long enough for tours.”

“We can at least show you where the dining hall is before you go,” Edelgard said. “I think the archbishop will spare some food.”

“Hopefully we can go there first,” said Claude. “I don’t know about you three, but I’m starving.”

Byleth hummed as Edelgard and Dimitri nodded, and they settled back into silence for the remainder of the trek to the monastery. Though Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude began to drift to one side when they walked into the reception hall, Byleth went unerringly to Jeralt when he beckoned to her.

“Say your goodbyes if you haven’t already,” he said. “We’re going straight to the archbishop and then leaving once we’ve spoken.”

“All right.” She turned to the trio, nodding to them. “Goodbye, then. Maybe don’t go out completely on your own again.”

“I’ll take that suggestion,” Claude said with a smirk.

“Thank you again,” Dimitri said, nodding to her. “I will never forget what you did for me.” He turned and started toward the dining hall with Claude, glancing back at Edelgard only a moment before lengthening his stride.

Edelgard knew she was lingering. A warm meal or even a cup of tea would’ve given her time to set her words in order, to find the best weighted words to thank Byleth for her life. It would certainly have given her another few moments to look at Byleth’s eyes and memorize their blue shade. She made do, smiling as she held Byleth’s gaze as long as propriety would allow.

“Thank you, Byleth,” she said. “I am glad to have met you, even if the circumstances were less than positive.”

“Me too, Edelgard,” Byleth replied, giving her one last little smile as Jeralt started off. She followed him, but not before lifting her left hand and waving goodbye. Chuckling through her nose, Edelgard waved back with her left hand and made her way to the dining hall.

“Lady Edelgard.”

Briefly, as she so often did, Edelgard wondered if Hubert had Warped in at her side instead of walking normally. She lengthened her stride to keep him from shortening his too much, finally letting herself yawn with him beside her again.

“The knights informed me of what happened,” Hubert said. “Are you unharmed?”

“I am,” Edelgard replied. “We have Jeralt the Blade Breaker and his daughter to thank for it.”

“The mission truly went awry, then,” he said quietly as they went into the dining hall. “Shall we discuss it now?”

“Later, please. I’m famished at this point.”

“Of course.” He joined her in picking something to eat, and Edelgard did not begrudge him for staying half a step closer than usual as they looked for an empty table.

“Hey, Princess!”

Edelgard chewed on the side of her tongue as she looked toward Claude. He was sitting at a table with Dimitri, and while Dedue was sat beside Dimitri, Claude sat alone. Fork in hand, Claude snapped off the same cheeky salute he’d given to Byleth before waving at her.

“Come share a meal!” he said.

Edelgard heard Hubert sigh through his nose and wondered if it was to mask a muttered curse. Despite it, she raised a brow at Claude and went to sit opposite him. She left a chair between herself and Dimitri, and Hubert sat on her other side while regarding the others coolly.

“How strange for no one to join you, Claude,” Hubert said.

“Ah, you know Hilda and Lorenz, needing their beauty sleep,” Claude replied with a wave of his hand. “No need to make them panic like you and Dedue here.”

“I have confidence that Lady Edelgard can manage herself in combat,” Hubert said. “I assume they thought you’d run at the first sign of combat, if they’re not worried?”

Claude sucked air between his teeth, a hiss of affronted pain. “Come on, I held my own. Edelgard and Dimitri can speak to that.”

“Oh yes,” Dimitri said. “You certainly did— _after_ you ran at the first sign of danger.”

“Yes, but I didn’t abandon you to your fate, now did I? You were able to follow me perfectly fine—I even took out one of theirs so you wouldn’t get stopped.”

“You did do that,” Edelgard said. “But why bother? Surely it would’ve been easier and safer to just run to Remire on your own.”

“Sure it would’ve,” Claude said. “But it would’ve ruined quite a lot of my plans if you died early.”

Edelgard looked at him with a frown, hearing Dimitri sigh and drum his fingers on the table. Claude laughed and held up both hands.

“Kidding, kidding,” he said. “It just would’ve made my life a lot harder if your ever-loyal bodyguards thought I got their charges killed, on purpose or not.”

“I think I’ve had a long enough night to earn the right to eat elsewhere,” Edelgard said. Hubert began to stand as she did, their trays of food in hand.

“Edelgard,” Dimitri said quickly. “Before you go, Dedue reported something to me that you should hear. It’s about the professors and classes.”

“By all means,” Edelgard said, turning to face Dedue.

“Classes are postponed for at least two days, your highness,” Dedue said. “The professor who sent you on your mission ran off in the middle of the night—it’s likely he set those bandits on you. Until another professor is selected to account for all three houses, the archbishop has put a hold on things.”

“I expect it will be Professor Jeritza, then,” Hubert said. “He is readily available.”

“Rhea’s never looked happy with him,” Claude said, “but we’ll see.”

“We will,” Edelgard said. “Thank you, Dedue.” She nodded to them before turning and walking away, Hubert a comforting presence at her side. They made their way to the dormitories, slipping into Edelgard’s room unnoticed. With her window already closed and locked, all Hubert needed to do was lock the door behind them and cast a spell to silence the room to any outside listeners.

“Thank you, Hubert,” Edelgard said as she sat on her bed. She set her food down beside her and said, “Forgive me. Part of why I wanted to leave was to take these shoes off. Please, feel free to sit at my desk.”

“Of course,” he said, sitting down as she undid the laces to her shoes. She did not feel his gaze on her when she took them off at last, biting her tongue to smother a groan of relief as she rubbed her feet through her red stockings. She did not feel any wet patches of blood in the fabric, and she sighed softly as she sat up.

“No need to rouse Linhardt,” she said, “wherever he’s made his bed today.”

“I must admit I was worried,” Hubert said. “When Arundel’s professor ran on seeing me last night, I feared the worst. Fortunately, the knights did not find it prudent to ask me why I knew he was up to something and set out when they did.”

“In all honesty,” Edelgard said, “they weren’t needed. The situation was in hand before they arrived.”

“The mercenaries were that skilled?” He hummed, thoughtful and soft, and put a hand on his chin. “Well, I suppose the stories of the Blade Breaker aren’t all for show.”

“His daughter was remarkable,” Edelgard murmured. “If I could convince her to work with us, we wouldn’t need to rely on Jeritza.”

“Jeritza is here on Arundel’s command. Much though I would like to, we can’t remove him from the field.”

“I know,” she sighed. “But _still_ , Hubert. An incredibly capable fighter who seems to know nothing of the church would make for a fantastic ally at this stage.”

She saw him stop short in taking a bite of an apple and counted inside her head. She reached three when he took a breath, and, knowing his words, took a breath of her own to speak alongside him.

“Lady Edelgard, this is not a game to make allies in,” they said in unison, and Hubert frowned.

“Pawns, not allies,” Edelgard said, frowning back. “I know. But I still see more value in building alliances with our classmates than in trying to make them pawns.” She smiled slightly. “I know it won’t sway them to our side when things come to a head, but I do not wish to emulate those who slither so closely.”

“I say this for your wellbeing, Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said. “Taking them as pawns will make it easier later.”

“Hubert,” Edelgard said, still smiling, “I’ve asked you to not lie to me so blatantly.”

He sighed, looked away, and quietly said, “My apologies.”

“I know you mean well,” she said. “And in any case, us acquiring either of the Eisners as allies _or_ pawns is a bit of a pipe dream. I already know they’ll be gone from Garreg Mach before the day is out.”

“This is true. Shall I speak to Jeritza regarding being chosen as a primary professor?”

“Yes. Remind him that he must pick the Black Eagles. We will handle the rest.”

“It will be done, Lady Edelgard.” He stood, going to her to take her emptied tray, and said, “I will keep Ferdinand from bothering you today. Please rest.”

Edelgard nodded to him, only getting up to close and lock the door behind him. Lying back down was graceless, little more than a fall angled to bring her face into her pillow. She took a moment to lay there, fabric cool against her skin, before bringing her legs onto the bed. Keeping quiet, she moved to put her back against the wall and curled up in a ball so tight the dagger she held to her chest was fully hidden. Though the sunlight was dazzlingly bright, she did not get up to close the shutters.

Instead, Edelgard looked out her window, past the leaves of the ivy that coiled round the frame outside and up into the sky. After being deprived of it under the palace, she craved the color blue, and she could not bring herself to close the shutters when there was such a clear view of so much blue that day. With only her half cape for a blanket, she drifted off to a restless slumber and kept her dagger close. Two hours were all she managed before she woke, and she did not bother trying to go back to sleep. She gave herself the afternoon to read, finding the old book of knightly tales she’d secreted away in her bags before leaving Enbarr.

The sun was setting by the time someone knocked on her door. She looked up from her book, sitting in a chair under the open window to feel the evening breeze. Though she meant to speak, another knock cut her off.

“Edie?” Dorothea called through the door. “Hubie said to leave you alone after last night, but it would be nice to see your face over dinner. Lin and Bernie are with us, but I can’t promise them staying for long.”

Edelgard always found it easiest to smile in an empty room, no one to find fault in how honestly she smiled, and she took another moment to smile warmly at Dorothea through the door. Closing the book hard took most of the warmth from her smile, leaving behind something that was only polite when she opened the door. Still, it was enough to make Dorothea smile when she saw her, and she suffered the gentle indignity of Dorothea touching her shoulders as she checked for injuries.

“Well,” said Dorothea, giving her shoulders a little pat, “I know Hubie wouldn’t lie about your health, but it’s still good to see you’re all right. Shall we go?”

“Let’s,” Edelgard said, taking the lead. “Thank you for letting me rest.”

“Of course,” was Dorothea’s cheerful reply, and Edelgard was more than happy to stare down Lorenz when he looked askance at Dorothea as they passed him on the stairs. They went to the dining hall, having just enough time to get food before Ferdinand descended upon Edelgard. She let him bluster on the way to the table occupied by the Black Eagles, shushing him when she saw how Bernadetta was curling up like a spring in preparation to run away.

“Ferdinand, the choice to go out alone wasn’t mine,” she said, lying as easily as breathing. “It was a professor’s direction.”

“A professor does not outrank a noble,” he shot back. “If you are to lead successfully, you must—”

“Are you telling Edelgard to ignore the professors?” Caspar asked.

“Well—no—but—”

“I am sure Lady Edelgard was not wishing to out without ally,” Petra said. “But there is much difficulty in disobeying.”

“Thank you, Petra,” Edelgard said, nodding to her. “And Ferdinand, I already promised Hubert I wouldn’t allow myself to be sent out alone again. In any case, I’m sure Dimitri and Claude won’t go out without at least one member of their house.”

“Can I preemptively _not_ volunteer?” Linhardt asked, barely hiding a yawn.

“No,” Hubert said flatly, “given that your services as a healer would likely be required.”

“Worth a shot,” Linhardt said with a shrug.

“W-would _I_ have to go out?” Bernadetta asked, hand shaking as she pointed at herself.

“I would ask you to come,” Edelgard said. “A sniper on the battlefield is invaluable, Bernadetta.”

“Oh,” Bernadetta said, and the single word rattled around inside her mouth as she began to tremble. She squeaked when Dorothea gently set a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” Dorothea said. “We’ll look out for each other.”

“Yeah!” Caspar said, putting his fists in the air. “Anyone goes for you and I’ll smash them into the ground!”

Bernadetta squeaked again at the volume of his voice, and she choked when she noticed other students looking their way. Abandoning her food, she rushed from the dining hall before any more attention could be drawn to her.

“Caspar,” Hubert said, sharp enough that Caspar flinched.

“I wasn’t trying to scare her!” he protested.

“Regardless,” Edelgard sighed, “now she’s gone.” She looked at Bernadetta’s empty space, frowning at how much food was left on her abandoned tray. Standing, she said, “I’ll take something to her. Give me a moment.”

She went to the cooks once more, taking a wrapped, hearty sandwich with her to the dormitories. As gently as she could, she knocked on Bernadetta’s door. Bernadetta shrieked in panic all the same.

“It’s only me, Bernadetta,” Edelgard said.

“L-Lady Edelgard? I’m—I’m sorry, I know you hate when I run away from a meal, b-but I just—”

“It’s all right, Bernadetta. I know you were startled. I brought a sandwich for you so you don’t have to go back to the hall tonight.”

“Oh—th-thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll leave it here—it’s wrapped very well.”

“Um! L-Lady Edelgard?”

“Yes?” Edelgard asked.

“I’m—I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Thank you, Bernadetta,” Edelgard said, letting herself smile. “I hope you’ll come to have a meal with us tomorrow.”

“I’ll try,” Bernadetta said, and the tremor in her voice was more than enough to tell Edelgard it would be a struggle to see her out of doors. She set the sandwich down and tapped the door twice with one finger before starting back toward the dining hall. The sight of Dimitri and Claude standing outside with Manuela made her boggle, and she went toward them well before Dimitri noticed her and raised a hand.

“Oh, good,” Manuela said, smiling. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to track you down, Miss Hresvelg.”

“Were you looking for me, Professor?” Edelgard asked.

“I was looking for all three of you,” Manuela said, gesturing to each of them. “I have a message from the archbishop for you.”

“From Lady Rhea?” Dimitri asked. “What is it, Professor?”

“Keep in mind that it is not to be repeated to your housemates or any other student until it is properly announced.” She aimed a finger at Claude and said, “Not even to your two favorite chatterboxes, Mister Riegan.”

“Not even Hilda and Lorenz, I got it,” he chuckled, hands up in surrender. “But what’s up, Professor?”

“Lady Rhea has chosen our new professor,” Manuela said. “She’s giving her most of the day tomorrow to meet the students and choose which house she’ll lead.”

“‘She’?” Edelgard asked.

“Yes. Byleth Eisner will be teaching one of you three.”

Had the world flipped upside down at that moment, Edelgard would have welcomed it. She tried to keep her face passive as Dimitri smiled and Claude grinned. Still, hope found a way to wrap itself around her heart, and she eventually smiled.

“The goal is to have the students behave naturally around her,” Manuela said. “And the announcement of her professorship and who’s teaching which house will be made tomorrow afternoon.”

“I assume we’re allowed to try and sway her?” Claude asked.

“If you like,” Manuela asked. “Although I’d understand a few tears over not landing a catch as delectable as her, you’d better not come crying to me if she doesn’t pick the deer, Mister Riegan. Now, she’s staying in the dorms with the rest of you, but you’ll leave her alone until tomorrow. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Professor Manuela,” they chorused, and they went back into the dining hall when she nodded and started away.

From the moment she set foot in the dining hall to the moment she left, Edelgard didn’t hear a single thing said to her. She certainly responded to questions asked of her, but gladly took the excuse of being hungry to focus on eating and sorting out the maelstrom that was her thoughts. Despite her valiant efforts, she went to bed without clearing her mind, and she stared out her window as she failed to fall asleep. The stars were too clear, the moon too bright, and she could not shoo away the hope that she could convince Byleth when the day arrived.

She did not linger by the dormitories when the morning came, instead taking a notebook to the main hall to review coursework while she waited for something she could not name. Shortly after the bells for early morning services in the cathedral, she heard footsteps approaching at a light jog. When she looked up and saw Byleth coming closer, hope threatened to show in her smile. She forced it back in favor of polite neutrality, closing her notebook as Byleth came to a stop before her.

“I heard the good news,” Edelgard said. “You’ll be teaching one of our houses.”

“How many people are in a house?” Byleth asked.

“Eight, including the house leader. I am the leader of the Black Eagles.”

“So I only need to learn seven other names before tomorrow.”

Edelgard looked at her blankly, certain she’d missed some—or several—words. She blinked when Byleth offered no corrections. Eventually, she said, “I beg your pardon?”

“I pick your house. I know your name, so I just need to learn the other seven now and get the other names right later.”

Edelgard stared outright. Byleth stared right back, and Edelgard felt as though she had missed some terrible joke.

“Can you teach me their names over breakfast?” Byleth asked.

“Well—yes, of course, but—have you talked to any of the other students? Or even Dimitri or Claude as the other house leaders?”

“I will later,” Byleth said. “But I want to get the eagles right, first.”

“You’re picking us without speaking to _anyone_ else?”

“Yeah,” Byleth said simply. “It’s _your_ house.”

Too many words came to Edelgard, jamming themselves in her throat so thoroughly she nearly choked. As she sat there, her silver tongue turned to tin, Byleth looked at her closely. In the clear light of day, the blue of her eyes was even more brilliant. It was the sky returning to normal after a thunderstorm, and just as it had done two nights ago, Byleth’s gaze and her mild expression settled Edelgard’s nerves.

Still, she looked at Byleth, uncertainty squeezing her bones, and took a deep breath. Keeping her voice steady but not keeping track of her words, she asked, “Why would you pick me?”

Embarrassment flooded into every inch of her over saying “me.” As she struggled with trying to find a way to amend herself gracefully, she contemplated biting her tongue in half. When Byleth looked at her curiously, she steeled herself for harsh words or, worse still, Byleth turning and leaving. The sight of Byleth’s tiny smile made the steel waver, hope peeking out from her.

“Because you’re kind,” Byleth said, as if it were plainly obvious. “It’ll be easier to teach someone who’s kind. And hopefully you can help me learn some stuff, too. Like this Seiros thing.”

“You truly know nothing of the church?” Edelgard asked, unable to smother a giggle.

“Nope.”

“Well,” said Edelgard, taking to her feet with less of the world’s weight on her shoulders, “I will be more than happy to assist you.” She hesitated when Byleth offered her left hand, but took it to shake. “Thank you for choosing us, Professor.”

“Glad to, Edelgard,” Byleth said, and she smiled once more before they headed to the dining hall.

————

For one full week, things seemed easy. Byleth memorized the names of the Black Eagles and went about studying them as they studied her. She found the best ways to keep Caspar and Ferdinand quiet while getting Linhardt and Bernadetta to focus and stay in the classroom at least part of the day. Dorothea and Petra needed no prompting to pay attention, and Hubert kept his glowering to a minimum after Edelgard spoke to him.

When it came to Edelgard, Byleth took an extra hour of her day after classes to go over things she did not know as well as the battlefield. They spent their time in the library or the training yard, discussing history, economics, and what politics Edelgard could think to speak of without censure and amendment. It proved difficult when Byleth drank it all in, eyes betraying how interested she was with how bright they were. When Saturday finally arrived, Edelgard did not pay attention to the time until the bells for evening services began to chime. When they faded into silence, she heard the long, low growl of Byleth’s empty stomach and grimaced.

“I apologize, Professor,” she said, gesturing for Byleth to close her notebook. “We can stop—you must be hungry if I can hear your stomach.”

“Can we pick up from here tomorrow?” Byleth asked, standing as Edelgard did. “I didn’t know so much was going on in Adrestia.”

“We could, but tomorrow is our first rest day,” Edelgard said. “You may want to take the time to consider how to structure next week’s classes. Or simply take a break. We have the mock battle at the end of the month to consider as well.”

“That’s all true,” Byleth said. Her thoughtful hum was flat as they left the library, and she remained silent on the way to the dining hall. Before they went inside, she said, “Why don’t we start again on Monday? If I need to ask you something tomorrow, I’ll come find you.”

“Of course, Professor,” Edelgard replied, and she was cheerful all through their late dinner. She bade Byleth good night and meant to go to sleep straight away, a long week’s effort urging her to bed. The warm evening breeze made her linger at her window. She hesitated, smelling traces of flowers and the ivy, and wondered how long it had been since she’d fallen asleep with a sweet scent so near at hand.

A simple lock was built into the window, letting her prop it open just enough for a breeze without allowing it to be opened further. Edelgard had never thought to use it as she slept, but then she considered it. She stood there in the dark, able to see the needlepoint artwork of the stars in the sky, and wanted to smell more than old books and paper. Exhaling slowly, she set the lock, tested its hold four times, and got into bed with her cape as her blanket and her dagger hidden against her chest. She closed her eyes and focused on relaxing just enough to sleep.

Her senses drifted as she felt her body grow heavy. On the very edge of sleep, a gust of wind rustled the leaves of the ivy. It was a bright sound, energetic and scratchy in a way she had heard—

_She was back beneath the palace. The filthy feet of innumerable rats were scurrying in the darkness around her. The rats were at her toes, her knees, her elbows, gnawing into bone and irreparably bruised veins. She felt their whiskers on her face as they—_

Edelgard bolted upright and nearly fell to the floor as she rushed out of bed. She all but slammed the window shut, only taking a rattling, racking breath once the main lock was set. Though she managed to settle her breathing, her skin crawled. Crouching down, she rubbed her arms and legs as hard as she could without tearing her clothes. She willed the memory away with each rub, reminding herself to stop chewing her lip lest it bleed.

Out of sight of the window, Edelgard sat down with her back to her dresser. Shaking, legs held tight to her chest, she stared at the moonlight painting her room. It was bright enough to drive off most every shadow that night, and Edelgard hummed a soft song until she could no longer hear the rats.

Sleep would not find her again that night if she let the tension continue chipping at her bones. As quietly as she could, she put her shoes back on, tied her dagger to her belt, and left the dormitories. The training yard was blessedly empty when she arrived, no one and nothing to see her but the moon and stars. It helped undo the knot her stomach had become, and the long, deep sigh she let out as she found a wooden axe further untangled it.

At any other time, she would’ve examined the axe before using it. Then, arms and hands shaking, all that mattered was running through forms smoothly. She went through drills with the wooden axe over and over until the trembling was reduced enough to allow for finer work. She set up wood target blocks and found a hatchet others would consider dull, throwing bulls-eyes with both hands to wear out her arms.

The dummies were her final aim, stand-ins for the rats. Tempting though it was to demolish at least one dummy, the thought of another rumor appearing about ghosts destroying the dummy she chose chafed. The fear she had seen on Lysithea’s face the morning of one such rumor’s appearance had stung, and she only turned toward the dummies when her arms ached too much to do major damage.

“Edelgard?”

She wasn’t certain how she managed to not throw her axe like a hatchet, but she was grateful she kept hold of it when she spun and saw Byleth standing there.

“Professor?” Edelgard said. “What are you doing here so late?”

“No, that’s my question,” Byleth said. “I thought you were going to the library when I saw you go by my room, but you weren’t there when I checked. Why are you here and not in bed?”

“I think you’ll find there are no specific rules barring house leaders from using all of the academy’s facilities at any time, so long as they’re not disrupting a class,” Edelgard said, brushing hair back over her shoulder. “If you’ll excuse me—”

Byleth was next to her before she was ready for it. Edelgard could only stammer when Byleth disarmed her as easily as shaking her hand. A practiced twist of Byleth’s wrist put the axe head on the ground and the handle in her palm. She leaned on it, free hand on her hip, and raised a brow slightly.

“You’re tired,” Byleth said. “Training when you’re tired will get you hurt. Why aren’t you in bed?”

“It’s—nothing, Professor.”

“If it really was, you wouldn’t be out here. What’s wrong?”

Edelgard looked at her. She had come without her signature coat or stockings, her shirt and shorts plain in the moonlight. Her hair was always too much of a mess to tell if she had just rolled out of bed, but her eyes weren’t bleary in the slightest. Impatience showed in them, but so too did concern. Edelgard held her breath, waiting for the impatience to swell over the concern. It never did, and she swallowed carefully.

“I—had a nightmare, Professor,” she said. “I can’t get back to sleep unless I work out some of the tension.”

“Your nightmares are that bad?”

“Unfortunately.”

Byleth thought, looking at the axe. She offered it to Edelgard and said, “Here, then. We’ll have a quick little match, and then I can take you back to your room. We can stop at my room for a snack I took from the dining hall at dinner.”

“Are you certain?” Edelgard asked as she took the axe. She stood by as Byleth went to fetch a wooden sword.

“Yeah. One quick match is fine. We won’t hurt each other.”

Edelgard smiled and moved to face her, axe raised to sword. They nodded to each other in a small salute before Edelgard rushed in. Three times she struck: a blow low at the knees, one level to the ribs, and one high to Byleth’s nearest shoulder. Three times Byleth blocked: a sharp parry low, a sturdy guard at center, and catching the axe head on her sword high. She forced Edelgard back with a push, sword scraping against the axe.

In the moment, neither of them could have noticed. It was too far gone when they rushed in simultaneously, both strikes aimed high. Neither of them could possibly react to the axe head, already loose, coming off completely when their weapons clashed and Byleth’s sword slid along the axe’s handle. There was nothing to stop it, no way for Byleth to jerk back or Edelgard to dodge. They could only stand by as the sword skipped on a rise in the ruined axe and slammed into Edelgard’s neck hard enough to—

_Edelgard knew the world had stopped. For an instant, she had felt pain, and for an instant she knew she was dying. But the pain receded and death left her behind as it always damnably did. The axe head was restored to the weapon and her body was moving in reverse and regaining all the tension she’d tried to lose and—_

Then she was standing before Byleth, watching as she offered the axe.

“Are you certain?” was what wanted to come out of her mouth.

Her left hand was on fire. She saw Byleth shaking her left hand as though to soothe pain.

Edelgard struck the axe from Byleth’s hand, grabbed her arm, and twisted hard to throw Byleth over her shoulder and onto the ground. Before Byleth could recover, Edelgard dropped to her knees over her and drew her dagger, laying it against her throat.

“ _What did you do_?” Edelgard snarled, voice shaking with how panic and fear threatened to drown her.

Byleth stared up at her, wide-eyed, with shock writ clear on her face.

“My neck was broken,” Edelgard hissed. “How did you undo it? How are we here again?”

“Wait, you remember what hap—”

“What _are_ you? Did Thales send you to torment me?”

“Edelgard, _wait_!” Byleth said, taking her wrist in both hands and lifting the dagger from her throat. “I won’t hurt you, just let me explain! Or—try to explain.”

She did not want to; the memory of the sword hitting her neck was too heavy. Her hands shook as the memories of every brush with death under the palace came back to her, unbidden and wholly unwelcome. _The rats had been in her room to bring her back to death, they—_

Byleth was sitting upright, holding her tight. The dagger was off to the side, out of reach. Byleth’s hand went to the back of her head, gently guiding it down to her shoulder.

“It’s okay,” Byleth murmured. “Take a second and breathe. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Edelgard did not know how long she had been shaking. Byleth’s arms around her made the violence of her shaking painfully clear. Shame crept in beside the panic and gave Edelgard something to focus on. Bit by bit, not lifting her head from Byleth’s shoulder, she scraped together control over her limbs. The pain had faded from her left hand by the time she lifted her head, and she did not wince when Byleth patted her shoulders.

“Professor,” Edelgard said quietly, “what just happened?”

Byleth sighed, rubbing her left hand. She looked down as she thought, but tilted her head as if listening to something over her shoulder. When she looked at Edelgard again, there was a light in her eyes that made Edelgard hold her breath, something intense and intriguing.

“It’s called a divine pulse,” Byleth said. “I can turn back time. Sothis says we have to figure out why you don’t forget what happens when I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> This has gnawed at me for months and I'm very excited to get to write it and do a little bit of flexing and experimenting with word choice after a major project like TNOF! Obviously it's already massively divergent after just one week of game time, so I'm not looking to do much with the main story outside co-opting the larger beats like certain battles.
> 
> You can find me [on twitter](https://twitter.com/shinjishazaki) with links to different ways to support me!


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